Cannabis task force seizes nearly $57 million in illegal cannabis
OAKLAND, Calif. - California’s United Cannabis Enforcement Taskforce has seized nearly $57 million in processed cannabis, and eradicated 58,358 illegally cultivated plants.
State officials in November conducted three enforcement operations that included personnel from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the California Department of Cannabis Control. The operations targeted large-scale illegal cultivation sites — both indoor and outdoor — in Alameda and Los Angeles counties.
"Illegal cannabis operations, particularly those embedded in residential neighborhoods, pose unacceptable risks to California families," Nicole Elliot, the director of the Department of Cannabis Control said in a press release. "Whether the issue is fire hazards, toxic pesticides, or criminal networks exploiting our communities, UCETF partners remain committed to protecting the public and holding bad actors accountable.
Fish and Wildlife officers on Nov. 18 executed search warrants on multiple warehouses in Hayward that were operating as unlicensed indoor grow sites. Officers destroyed over 6,100 plants and seized 193.6 pounds of processed cannabis.
Similar operations in Los Angeles County eradicated over 32,700 plants and 5,122 pounds of processed cannabis. Agents executing those warrants discovered at multiple sites bottles labeled as containing carbofuran and methamidophos, pesticides banned in the United States for health and safety reasons. Both substances can be highly toxic to fish and wildlife, and can contaminate soil and water.
Newsom created the United Cannabis Enforcement Taskforce in 2022 to further collaboration and enforcement between state, local and federal law enforcement.